League of Cities fails to stop referendum for prospective new cities
The 118-member League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) is not happy over the churning out of new cities, now that plebiscites for cityhood or converting towns into cities have pushed through in some parts of the country.
to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, League National President, they failed to get a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the Supreme Court to stop the referendum for new cities.
"We feel sad, it is just very unfortunate that no TRO was issued," he said.
The towns of Baybay in Leyte and Catbalogan in Samar have held plebiscites on June 16 this year to determine whether residents are in favor of the reclassification of their towns into cities, while a similar plebiscite is scheduled on June 20 for Borongan, capital of Eastern Samar.
Treñas said the league will still push through with its petition despite the continuing referendum done in the different towns up for cityhood.
The LCP is objecting the conversion of 12 towns into cities because they failed to comply with the minimum income requirement of P100 million as mandated in the Local Government Code and amended by Republic Act 9009.
Addition of new cities will likewise affect the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) fund of the existing cities.
Other towns that are to be converted to cities include Tayabas, Quezon; Bayugan, Agusan del Norte; Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte; Bogo, Cebu; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; Lamitan, Basilan; Carcar, Cebu; El Salvador, Misamis Oriental; Batac, Ilocos Norte; and Tabuk, Kalinga.
(PNA)